Warwickshire's Neil Carter smashed the fastest century in this season's Frizzell County Championship but Sussex were still on top after the second day of their match at Hove.

Carter, who had only once scored over 50 in a first-class game, reached his ton in just 67 balls and shared in a last-wicket stand of 119 with Jamie Spires (37 not out).

The No 9 batsman narrowly missed out on the quickest first-class ton of the season - 66 balls by Kent's Matthew Fleming against Sri Lanka - and his 103 allowed Warwickshire to make 293 all out in reply to Sussex's first-innings 352.

But Murray Goodwin then hit 111, while fellow opener Richard Montgomerie added 43, to help Sussex reach 166 for four at close - 225 ahead - and Warwickshire faced a tough task to secure the win which would claim runners-up spot in Division One and a cheque for #50,000.

Carter had come to the crease with Warwickshire struggling on 143 for seven and needing another 60 runs just to avoid the follow-on.

He showed little indication of what was to come as he made a slow start to his innings but the loss of Mo Sheikh (32) and Alan Richardson first ball to Billy Taylor in the space of two balls prompted him to cut loose.

The next over saw him march down the track to hoist Mark Davis over deep extra cover for his first six and the same bowler was soon punished again with a sweep over deep square-leg.

The left-hander began to make a mockery of his average of just over 15 and Spires soon got in on the act as they moved past the follow-on target.

The 60th over of the innings saw the helpless Davis again treated with disdain as Carter clubbed 11 off the first three balls - including another maximum - before Spires then smashed a six to long-on.

Paul Hutchison was brought back into the attack, only to see his first two balls fly to the rope, and Carter completed his century, which included nine fours and six sixes, after just an hour and a quarter at the crease with a single to fine leg off Robin Martin-Jenkins.

The only disappointment for Carter and Spires was that they were unable to clinch a third batting point before the former was beaten by a Martin-Jenkins yorker.

Their 63-minute stand had rapidly undone much of the good work that had been done earlier by the Sussex bowlers. Taylor had been the pick of them, claiming a five-wicket haul including the dismissal of Tony Frost, who had held the innings together in making 73 before he was bowled between bat and pad.